Lubricating system



Jan. 28, 1947. MILLER 2,414,887

LUBRICATING SYSTEM Filed April 30, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES IN VIL'N TOR:

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ATTORNEYS.

l atenteci Jan. 28, 1947 2,414,887 LUBRICATING SYSTEM Lawrence E. Miller, Winston-Salem, N. 0., assignor to Hanes Hosiery Mills 00., Winston- Salem, N. 0., a corporation of North Carolina Application April 30, 1946, Serial No. 666,166

8 Claims.

This invention relates to lubricating systems. More particularly, it is concerned with lubrication systems for knitting machines in which sinkers cooperate individually with the needles in forming the fabric loops. In modern knitting machines of the circular type, for example, the sinkers are confined to movement in radial slots of annular heads affixed to the longitudinallygrooved cylinders which carry the needles; and for the purpose of lubricating the sinkers and the needles, it has been the general custom heretofore to apply oil to the sinkers with an oil can at relatively infrequent intervals for communication in part to the needles. Invariably under this method the amount of oil so applied was more than actually required, with the result that the excess was immediately thrown off by centrifugal action incident to rapid rotation of the needle cylinders. Hence, in a short time, the parts lacked proper lubrication and became dry with accumulation on them of lint andsizing from the yarns used in the knitting, and so failed to function properly with the resultant production of irregular or imperfect fabric.

The chief aim of my invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks. This desideratum I attain in practice, as hereinafter more fully disclosed, through provision-of a regulatable automatic lubricating system of simple and inexpensive construction, which can be relied upon to supply just the requisite amount of oil at regular intervals for proper lubrication of the sinkers and needles of a knitting machine with assurance of uniform distribution of the oil amongst them and absence of excess or flooding likely to stain or mar the fabric being knitted.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary broken out view partly in section and partly in elevation of a circular knitting machine with an incorporated lubricating system conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the organization looking toward the right side of Fig. 1 likewise with portions in elevation and others in section.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal detail cross section taken as indicated by the angled arrows III-III in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view in elevation looking as indicated by the angled arrows IV-IV inFig.1,

From these drawings, it will be observed that my improved lubricating system includesa reserframe M partly illustrated in Fig. 1.

-voir l0 which is supported at an elevation above the needle cylinder II (Fig. 2) of the knitting machine by a bracket arm i2 on a stationary vertical rod [3 (Figs. 2 and 3). This rod l3 may, for example, be the vertical rod constituting a part of the yarn tree usually associated with such machines and suitably anchored in the machine As herein shown, the reservoir 10 is of composite construction in that it has a transparent tubular body component l5 disposed, with interposition of fluid-seal gaskets l6 and I7, between circumferentially-fianged upper and lower heads it and I9. Axially within the reservoir I9 is a small core tube 20 whereof the opposite ends threadedly engage into bosses 2i and 22 respectively on the top and bottom heads 18 and I9; and passed down through said tube is a pin valve stem 23 whereof the lower end is tapered for entry into 20 bottom end of the boss 25, and between the bottom of said tube and an annular should-er at 3| in the bore of the fitting 26. The fitting 25 is moreover formed with a circumferential stop flange 32, and its bottom end is threaded and passes through a receiving aperture 33 in the outer end of the bracket arm !2 previously referred to. A cap nut 35 engaging the threads on the protruding lower end of the fitting 26 serves, in cooperation with the external flange 32 on the latter, as the means for securing the reservoir it to the bracket l2. Into the cap nut 35 is screwed a nipple 36 which aifords a fluid tight connection at 31 for a tube 33 whereby the oil released from the reservoir to in a manner later explained is conducted to a point of discharge immediately over the sinkers 39 (Fig. 2) of the knitting machine. As usual, the sinkers 39 are slidably mounted in radial slots in a ring or head secured to the cylinder ll of the knitting machine, said cylinder being vertically slotted, likewise as usual, for retainment of sliding knitting needles 4| with which the sinkers cooperate in the Well known way in stitch formation. The pin valve 23 is normally maintained in closed position by a helical spring 42 (Fig. 2) which surrounds the upper end of the valve stem within a bore 43 which extends through the internal boss 2| of the head It and continues through an external prolongation of said boss. As shown, the spring 42 is compressed between a stop collar 46 on the valve stem 23 and an adjustable cap nut 4! screwed onto the external boss projection 45 of the head 18. The cap nut 31 is knurled as indicated at 48 in Fig. 1 for engagement by a spring detent 49 (Fig. 2) and thereby held against accidental displacement in adjusted positions.

For the purpose of operating the valve 23 to control release of oil from the reservoir I0, I have provided means actuated from a movin part of the machine mechanismin the illustrated instancefrom crank pin 50-on a gear wheel 5! affixed to the drive shaft 52 of the machine. As shown this valve operating means includes a tappet finger 53 which is fulcrumed at 54 on a suspension bracket 55 bolted to the machinev frame M, and of which the outer end lies in the path of the crank pin 50 on the gear wheel 5! so as to be struck thereby from beneath and moved upward from the normal full line position to the dot-and-dash line position in Fig. 1, once during each rotation of the shaft 52, downward movement of the finger 53 being limited by a stop projection 55. on the bracket 55. Mounted on the finger 53 intermediate its ends is a swivel stud 51 which is pierced diametrically for passage therethrough of the lower end of a vertical link rod 58 having collars 59 and 63 thereon abutting said stud from above and below. The link rod 58 is confined to end wise or up and down movement by virtue of passage through a guide aperture in a lateral projection l2a (Fig. 3) of the bracket arm 12, and is sustained normally in the position illustrated by another collar 6| thereon resting on the top of a helical spring 62 which surrounds the rod and which in turn rests on the top of aforesaid guide projection 12a on the bracket arm i2. Secured to the link rod 58 at the upper end is a weight collar 53 which, in descending, is adapted to strike the outer end of a lever 65 pivotally connected at 55 to the upper protruding end of the valve stem 23. Intermediate its ends, the lever 65 carries a fulcrum screw 51 which bears on the top of the cap nut 35.

Operation From the foregoing it will be seen that each time the finger 53 is engaged by the stud 59 on the wheel 5| as the latter rotates, the rod 58 will be lifted to the broken line position of Fig. 1. Upon sudden release of the finger 53 when the stud 55 on wheel 51 passes therebeyond, the weight collar 63 on the rod 58, in suddenly dropping will strike the lever 65 and thereby cause the pin valve 23 to be momentarily lifted against the action of the spring 42. As a consequence a small quantity of oil will be released from the reservoir Ill through the outlet 24 and drop through the fitting 26 into the sump in the bottom of the cap nut 35. A corresponding small quantity of oil will in turn pass off through the tube 38 and be discharged from the end of the latter onto the sinkers 39 of the knitting machine. Thus at each rotation of the needle cylinder H oil is deposited on the sinkers 39, some of it finding its way into the grooves of the needle cylinder H to lubricate the needles. Oil so released will of course not always drop at the same point in the circle of sinkers so that a substantially uniform distribution of the lubricant will obtain. The amount of oil discharged each time from the reservoir I0 can be regulated to a nicety through adjustment of the cap nut 41 with resultant change in the spacing of the outer end of the lever 65 and the weight collar 63 and resultant impartation of either a smaller or a greater lift to the valve 23 depending upon which way said cap nut is turned. During the operation of the device the spring 62 acts to cushion the drop of the rod 58 as the finger 53 passes off the stud 50, and also serves to restore and maintain the rod to and in the normal position in which it is shown in the drawings. Thus by proper adjustment of the cap nut 47 just the proper amount of oil will be released with assurance against flooding of the sinkers and soiling of the fabric produced by the machine. It is to be particularly noted that the weight collar 63 is normally out of contact with the lever 55 and the valve 23 in closed position as shown in the drawings. Accordingly oil release from the reservoir I0 takes place only while the machine is running, the supply being positively shut oiT during its quiescent or idle periods. This safeguard is important in that it insures against the possibility of oil flooding.

From the foregoing it will be evident my improved lubricating system i not only simple in construction but that it can be incorporated in difierent types of circular knitting machines without requiring any changes in them or interfering with their normal mode of operation. It will also be seen that, by suitable modifications within the scope of the appended claims, my improved oiling system may be readily adapted for use in connection with straight or fiat knitting machines either of the Cotton or the lamb types. In any case, the system would be controlled and operated as hereinbefore set forth by way of example, through movement derived from a moving part of the machine with which it is associated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An automatic lubricating system for a knitting machine having a series of needles, cooperative movably-supported sinkers, and drive mechanism, said system comprising a reservoir for lubrioating oil, means for conducting oil from the reservoir and releasing it at the sinkers, a normally closed valve associated with the reservoir, and means actuated from a movable part of the drive mechanism of the machine for momentarily opening the valve at predetermined intervals to control oil flow from the reservoir.

2. An automatic lubricating system for a circular knitting machine having a rotary cylinder with vertical guide grooves for sliding needles, a head on the cylinder with guide grooves for cooperative radially-movable sinkers, and drive mechanism, said system comprising a reservoir for lubricating oil, means for conducting oil from the reservoir and releasing it at the sinkers, a normally closed valve associated with the reservoir, and means actuated from a movable part of the drive mechanism of the machine for momentarily opening the valve at predetermined intervals to control flow from the reservoir.

3. An automatic lubricating system according to claim 1, further comprising adjustable means for regulating the amount of oil released at each actuation of the valve.

4. An automatic lubricating system for a knitting machine having a series of needles, cooperative movably-supported sinkers, and drive mechanism including a wheel with a crank stud, said system comp-rising a reservoir for lubricating oil, means for conducting oil. from the reservoir and releasing it at the sinkers, a normally closed valve associated with the reservoir, a tappet finger in the path of the crank stud aforesaid, and interposed operating instrumentalities between the valve and said finger.

5. A lubricating system according to claim 4, wherein the valve is of the pin type with a stem and seats within an outlet port at the bottom of the reservoir; and wherein the interposed operating instrumentalities include a vertical thrust rod connected at its bottom end to the tappet finger, and a lever connected to the stem of the pin valve at the top and extending to the thrust rod.

6. A lubricating system according to claim 4, wherein the valve is of the needle type with a stem and spring biased downwardly for maintenance normally in seated position within an outlet port at the bottom of the reservoir; and wherein the interposed instrumentalities include a vertical thrust rod connected at its bottom to the tappet finger, and a medially-fulcrumed lever with one nd pivotally connected to the stem of the valve at the top, and a collar on the thrust rod adapted to strike the opposite end of the lever during descent of said rod.

7. A lubricating system according to claim 4, wherein the valve is of the needle type with a stem and spring biased downwardly for maintenance normally in seated position within an outlet port at the bottom of the reservoir; and wherein the interposed instrumentalities include a vertical thrust rod connected at its bottom to the tappet finger, a medially-fulcrumed lever with one end pivotally connected to the stem of the valve at the top, a collar on the thrust rod adapted to strike the opposite end of the lever during descent of said rod, and means for cush ioning the drop of the thrust rod as the crank stud passes beyond the range of the tappet finger.

8. A lubricating system according to claim 4, wherein the valve is of the needle type with a stem and spring biased downwardly for maintenance normally in seated position within an outlet port at the bottom of the reservoir; and wherein the interposed instrumentalities include a vertical thrust rod connected at its bottom to the tappet finger, a medially-fulcrumed lever with one end pivotally connected to the stem of the valve at the top, and a collar on the thrust rod adapted to strike the opposite end of the lever during descent of said rod, and means for vertically adjusting the fulcrum of the lever for the purpose of regulating the extent of valve opening and the amount of oil released at each actuation.

LAWRENCE E. MILLER. 

